The Open Road Guild

buler · Mar 27, 2010

Justdog said:
Very excellent point, and where to find that information? From the release to the end of the (100's) marketing life. Although this is the OR thread and is being thrown a bit off topic. Vintage 100 open road and 7x OR are in this thread. Someone commented on my 100 a long time ago and it was the finish and craftsmanship that identified it as a 100 as well as the 100 in the sweat and liner. Have seen OR,s with the same liner. I would have a hard time with the block in mine morphing it into a fedora style OR. Mine has Philadephia USA on the manufacturing red and white label under the sweat and is number 102. No price. Lots of posts here list the marketing prices. Would be nice to see a history of the evolution and demise of the purest form of the 100 as we all seem have a fairly agreeable view of what it was and how we see it on the lounge. I will just have to keep my eyes open for 2 OR.s in my size of 7x and 100 qualities.

Justddog, the first Stetson 100 I found had 102 written on the red/white label also. See here: Stetson100

B

buler · Mar 27, 2010

Justdog said:
Meaning???[huh] lol
Re reading?
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=35385

Just checked my 7x and beside the square size tag (long oval) inside the sweat is a small green price tag. R.E Cox Fort Worth $50.00 Stetson. Will check my 100 again but have to be careful!
4 red characters stamped in red on the liner under the sweat of the 100 but cannot make them all out, one is an A and then faded numbers.
If the Bartender would like to move my last few posts to this thread it would be a relief. Thanks
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=35385

The liner on my Beaver 100 has a red stamping on it, "7 1/8 A 4 1/2". See the pic here: Beaver100

B

Justdog · Mar 27, 2010

102

buler said:
Justddog, the first Stetson 100 I found had 102 written on the red/white label also. See here: Stetson100

B

Then that leads me to believe it was either the hatter or the inspector or final finishers designation.

Justdog · Mar 27, 2010

Red stamps

buler said:
The liner on my Beaver 100 has a red stamping on it, "7 1/8 A 4 1/2". See the pic here: Beaver100

B

Excellent that clears that up. Nice reeded sweatband. I expected an embroidered last drop liner but it has the gold crest. mhmmm:eusa_clap

Justdog · Mar 28, 2010

Elitism

John in Covina said:
This type of discussion comes up in other sections every once in a while. Everybody here comes in as a Newbie, moves on to be an Enthusiast maybe Collector status.

However for some that's not enough, many crave rules and definative facts. They can become over zealous converts, Purists and eventually Elitists or in other words OPEN ROAD NAZI'S! :eusa_doh:

Coming forth with edicts as to labeling, overseeing hat purity and making exclusive enclaves to exclude other hats not pure enough, of improper breeding, those sub classes of Open Road clones. We may yet get to see propaganda films on You-tube expousing the ideals of the Master Hat that is superior to all others in every way. Come brothers take the Open Road oath of loyalty. You must jealously keep safe and cherish it, to forsake all others! Hail Victory! Hail the Open Road! All others will despair it's perfect beauty. :eusa_clap

This has been an important announcement from the National Open Road Party!
:eusa_doh:

If you want to read about Purist elitism and nazi's ranting about stuff not being perfect or pure enough go read the A-2 Jacket threads, these guys are so serious they lose sleep over their responses.lol

This was good so I left in the whole quote. I collected another genre of item and started just to relive a bit of the past. I was not very knowledgeable but knew the item. They sold for 50 cents and were mass produced in the millions.
Now there are experts extoling on the variations to the point of slight color shade differences. Hats like open roads were made for the masses and were to be worn, enjoyed and personalized. It is sometimes humorous to see the extent to which slight variations are magnified. In my other collection, variations can simply be attributed to availability of materials and paint tints.
Who is to say for example that a local hatter in order to distinguish themselves was allowed to imprint their own style of Open road embossing on their hat lots as well as other slight treatments. Anal rententive elitism maybe but not quite Nazism.

Greyfox · Mar 29, 2010

I just got my first open road. From the information I got from some folks here on the forum it is a Mid 50's Royal Stetson Open Road. It is in excellent shape. I guess it turns out that I am lucky that I am size 7 as I did not have a lot of competition for this hat. In any event I will post photos shortly and submit my application as a member in good standing with the Open Road Guild!

St.Ignatz · Mar 30, 2010

Congrats on the score GF.

Mr. Paladin · Mar 30, 2010

St.Ignatz said:
Congrats on the score GF.

:arated: I thought I saw you eyeing those ORs at Monteagle!

ASY · Apr 7, 2010

Can I join in?

Yesterday I bought my first Open Road. I have been looking for a while now to find one that was really great. I think I found it. It is a Royal De Luxe that is in pristine shape. It appears to me that it was lightly, if ever, worn. I am not sure that the hat box that came with it is the original, but it is older, square, and in rough shape although still useable. It even has the little tie ribbon with which to keep the box tight.

I am having a hard time figuring out how to post pictures. I want to show this hat and get some idea of age. As best as I can tell, it is from the late
50's. Any help in the picture posting area would be greatly appreciated.

I look forward to joining you in this cool hobby.

carouselvic · Apr 7, 2010

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/faq.php?faq=vb_read_and_post#faq_vb_attachment_explain

ASY · Apr 7, 2010

Thanks

I believe I am restricted from posting photos because I am still new. However, I will get everything loaded on photobucket or wherever and be ready when they let me out of the gate.

Thanks for the guidance.

carouselvic · Apr 7, 2010

ASY said:
I believe I am restricted from posting photos because I am still new. However, I will get everything loaded on photobucket or wherever and be ready when they let me out of the gate.

Thanks for the guidance.

There is no minimum number of post for photos, only PM's.

Mr. Paladin · Apr 7, 2010

Welcome to the Lounge. ASY. Looking forward to seeing your OR.

ASY · Apr 7, 2010

lets give it a try

Stetson%20Royal%20De%20Luxe%20Open%20Road%204-50-10

jimmy the lid · Apr 7, 2010

ASY said:
I want to show this hat and get some idea of age. As best as I can tell, it is from the late
50's.

Congrats on your OR, ASY. I think you are right on in terms of dating the hat. Your OR post-dates the price change that occurred sometime in the late 50's -- in this case, the price of a Royal DeLuxe Stetson jumped from $12.50 to $12.95.

Enjoy!

Cheers,
JtL

ASY · Apr 7, 2010

Thanks and thanks.

I am so new to this area that I really need and appreciate the input. Thanks for welcoming a new guy. I will post some of the other hats in my collection someplace that is appropriate for non-open roads.

Stan · Apr 7, 2010

ASY said:
http://s607.photobucket.com/albums/...-50-10/?action=view&current=April62010065.jpg

Hi,

your first link has no IMG (in brackets) in front, and no /IMG (in brackets) trailing, so you get just the URL link.

The second has the IMG control tags OK, but for some reason has two http:// in the header. So, it goes to nowhere as it is.

The second would have automatically brought up the photo if it were not for the two http:// in the line.

You almost have it!

later!

Stan

ASY · Apr 7, 2010

Is the link working?

The link should take you to the photobucket.com page where all the pictures can be viewed. Is it working?

http://s607.photobucket.com/albums/...-50-10/?action=view&current=April62010063.jpg

CRH · Apr 7, 2010

ASY said:

Good score, ASY!

So tell us about the shade of your silver belly. What color(s) does it give off? - green, blue, silver, belly?

ASY · Apr 7, 2010

First let me tell you how this came to me.

I called a business associate whose wife organizes occasional estate sales and asked him to keep his eye open for Open Road or something like it for me. He called me the next day and said he had something in his closet that he thought I should see. It had been there for years.

We met the next day and he showed me this hat. It was exactly what I had been hoping for. I won't mention the price he sold it for but I will say that I thought he was treating it more like a gift than "business".

As to the color it gives off, it seems like pretty true silver belly. Much like other western hats that I have. It does not seem blue or green in any way. Maybe a little tan I guess. What should I be looking for and what do the color sheens indicate?

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